Voting assistance program kicks off slogan contest

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WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  Federal Voting Assistance Program officials are accepting entries until July 10 for the program’s latest slogan contest.

The winning slogan will be featured in the program’s 2006-2007 media campaign, which will focus on increasing voter awareness among U.S. citizens worldwide and encouraging them to participate in the democratic process, officials said.

Slogans also will be posted on the program’s Web site, in the 2006-2007 Voting Assistance Guide and on motivational posters, audiovisual materials and in other publications and manuals, officials said.

The aim is to promote interest in voting among people covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act -- members of the uniformed services, the Merchant Marine, their families and all U.S. citizens residing outside the United States, program officials said.

Submitted slogans should address the importance of voting or inspire someone to vote, and people may enter as many times as they like, but contest officials request that each entry be submitted separately. A panel of independent judges will choose the winning slogan based on originality and motivational value, officials said. The contest winners and runners-up will receive a certificate signed by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.

People may submit their slogan by e-mail, fax or mail. It should include their full name, their service (if military), mailing address, daytime telephone number, fax number and e-mail address.

E-mail entries should be sent to slogan@fvap.ncr.gov and should be text only, one slogan per e-mail, with contact information on each e-mail. Enter “Voting Slogan Contest” on the subject line. Because of security concerns, any e-mail message with an attachment will be deleted, officials said.

Slogans can be faxed to (703) 696-1352 or DSN 426-1352. The program’s Web site, www.fvap.gov, has toll-free fax numbers from 51 countries. Submit separate page for each slogan with contact information on each page. No cover sheet is necessary.

People may also mail their entries to Federal Voting Assistance Program, Department of Defense, Attn: Voting Slogan Contest, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-1155. If submitting by mail, type or print legibly on regular 81/2 by 11 inch paper, with one slogan per page and contact information on each page. (Courtesy of American Forces Press Service)